


Lost and Found

by SkylandMountain1013



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: F/M, angst with a bit of fluff? fluff with a bit of angst?, finale fic, how they get to tahiti
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-22
Updated: 2018-05-22
Packaged: 2019-05-10 01:09:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,037
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14727099
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SkylandMountain1013/pseuds/SkylandMountain1013
Summary: His story is not over.





	Lost and Found

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Plechka](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Plechka/gifts).



> Someone please let these babies sleep. 
> 
> Also this is for the awesome plechka, who talked me off the ledge by explaining there was NO WAY they got to Tahiti without Phil saying “I love you”

The imminent danger is over, but her body still courses with adrenaline.

It’s a delayed reaction- she knows that- but it doesn’t stop the trembling of her hands, the pounding of her heart, the taste of bile lapping at the back of her throat. 

She slumps back against the wall and centers her energy towards her breathing. A slow count to ten and clarity returns to her consciousness. 

“Agent May.” Footsteps approach. 

She looks up and it is Polly Hinton, Robin in tow. 

“We’re about to leave,” Polly says, “But I wanted to stop and say thank you. For everything.”

Melinda nods. “You both deserve to go live a life. Free of all of this.”

Polly takes a shaky breath and speaks quietly this time. “I’m sorry about Agent Fitz.”

She screws her eyes shut to prevent the tears. “He died a hero,” Melinda answers. 

The two women stand in silence for a moment before Melinda gathers herself. 

“You should forget all of this- move on,” she starts. “But if you wanted to, keeping in touch— it would be nice.” She trails off and glances down at Robin. 

She still doesn’t quite understand it- how she can be so connected to a girl she didn’t (and now never will) raise. 

Polly pulls her into a quick hug. “Of course,” she murmurs into Melinda’s shoulder. “In a different timeline, she was yours.”

They separate, and Melinda kneels down to Robin’s level. 

“Hey,” she says with a smile. 

Robin looks down at the ground. 

Melinda hooks a finger under the girl’s chin. “You saved the world.”

“It’s different now.”

Nodding, she moves her hand to stroke Robin’s hair. “Yeah, it sure is.”

Robin grabs Melinda’s other hand and squeezes it to get her attention. 

“Phillip J. Coulson,” she says matter of factly. “His story isn’t over.”

The words are a punch to the gut. Melinda stands and looks at Polly, who only nods and leads Robin down the hall. 

After they’ve rounded the corner, Melinda finds herself headed in the opposite direction. She knows exactly where she needs to go. 

Shortly thereafter, she’s letting herself into Phil’s bunk. 

He’s perched on the end of the bed, freshly showered, buttoning up his shirt. Heat creeps up her neck as she watches stray drops of water run down his neck, dipping below his collar. She’s amazed that he’s here. 

She’s always amazed that he’s here. 

“Hi,” she says, voice laced with emotion. 

He blinks up at her and gives a slow smile. “Hi yourself.”

“You’re looking better,” she states as she slides towards the bed. The mattress creaks as she settles next to him. 

Phil shrugs. “It comes and goes.” His hand settles next to her thigh. The slight touch scorches her. 

“How’s Jemma?” He asks. 

Melinda lets out a slow breath. “Better than I would be.” She watches his breath hitch, feels his fingers curl against her. “But- it’s Simmons. So she’s already working on a solution. I guess it’s a good thing the Zephyr is a spaceship now.”

“I’m getting pretty tired of space.” 

She barks out a laugh of agreement. “I don’t even want to look at the stars right now.” She pauses. “We’ll be there though, to help.” 

“No,” he says softly. “I’m done.”

Her eyes widen. “ _ Phil.” _

He swings his legs up on the bed and shifts to face her body. She parrots his motions and soon they are face to face. 

“I don’t know how much time I have left.” She flinches at the words, and his hand instantly moves to cup her cheek. She sniffs and wills herself to keep the tears at bay. He ghosts a kiss against her lips.

“Hey,” he soothes, “it’s okay. All I’m saying is that it might be days, it might be weeks, it might be longer than that. The team is okay, with strong leadership- it’s time to step back.”

Melinda can see the peace he’s made with this decision- but it doesn’t stop the panic that’s rising in her. “So that’s it? You walk away? And when the time comes-” she still can’t say the words- “we just get a phone call from someone? I can’t leave you behind. Not again.”

His eyes are impossibly blue and they crinkle with a warmth she hasn’t seen in weeks. He echos the words she told him earlier in the day.

“Then don’t.”

Realization settles over her followed by contentment. “Yeah?”

Phil closes the gap between them, allowing their foreheads to touch. “I love you. And I should have said it weeks ago. Months, if we’re being honest. And whatever is left for me in this life, I need you to be a part of it.”

Momentary doubts creep into her mind- the team needs her, she’s not strong enough for this, what does she do after- but they’re replaced by Robin’s words, loud and clear. 

_ His story isn’t over.  _

She can’t imagine not being there. 

So she pulls back enough that she can grab his hand and twine it through hers. “There’s nowhere else I’d rather be.” 

Relief washes over him. “I was hoping you’d say that.”

She nudges him back against the pillows and melts against him. Her kisses are tinged with a bit of heat and she relishes the slight moan that escapes him. 

Exhaustion is setting in quicker than arousal though, and she imagines it’s worse for him. As if on cue, he yawns against her neck. 

“Sorry,” he mumbles. “Been a bit of a day.”

She lets herself laugh at that and gives him another quick peck. “I think we’ve earned some rest. No one will notice if we’re gone for the next hour.”

Rolling off of him, she pulls him close, settling his head just below her collarbone. His muscles start to relax as she rakes her fingers through his hair, scratching at his scalp. 

His voice is already thick with sleep when he asks her where she’d like to go. “Anywhere you want,” he slurs. 

“Tahiti sounds nice,” she muses. 

He smiles against her breast. “Supposed to be magical.”

She whispers an  _ I love you _ into his hair as her eyes close. 

Her dreams are filled with visions of a peaceful future. 


End file.
